Quote:
Originally Posted by Finger Cookin
Those of you who follow these topics maybe know a lot more about specific discussion points that always get me thinking when alternative energy comes up:
- How sustainable is battery and solar panel production given the rare earth metals (?) needed to produce them, the production techniques, and the production byproducts
- How much investment and upgrade is needed on electrical grid infrastructure and road infrastructure to accommodate a growing number, perhaps someday a majority, of electrical vehicles on the roads
- Are there improved efficiencies on storing excess electricity regardless of source
Genuinely interesting topic.
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These are good questions and a frequent target for those pushing back on renewable energy as a solution. If we truly want to have a sustainable human community these will have to be solved regardless of costs, but transitioning with only economic frameworks driving forward will not solve them. Clearly policy is going to be needed.
Yes rare earth metals are going to be needed and mining in general has environment impact. GHG emissions are existential and local environmental is not. That isn't to say we ignore it, rather that we should create policy and enforcement of environmental policies. We move earth and do local damage for fossil fuels as it is, this isn't a new problem to solve, but we need government action. Long term, recycling and a circular economy are going to be necessary to make it sustainable.
As for the grid, yes there'll need to be lots of investments. DoubleK would have better answers, but to make renewables work we'll need more electricity, longer transmission to make it resilient (time shifting the diurnal generation), distribution infrastructure for charging and home heating. For example, I recently moved and do not have room on my 120A panel for a 60A service to a charger nevermind replacing my hot water tank with an electric hybrid tank (these are cool), and a heat pump eventually. That's just my house. Then if everyone on my block goes this way the local infrastructure will need to be upgraded to support the increased power. There's also unknowns with EV charging. Will some plugged in cars allow small amounts of their battery to act as grid storage? Where will most people charge? In Canada many people have their own parking and therefore can install chargers for overnight flexible charging, but what about apartments? Will they use fast chargers mainly? Slow chargers at grocery stores? My short answer is upgrading will absolutely be needed but lots of it will necessarily be incremental as we learn where it's needed
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